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Brownfields Training, Research,
and Technical Assistance Grant
Fact Sheet
Kansas State University
EPA BROWNFIELDS PROGRAM
EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, communities, and other stakeholders to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up, and sustainably reuse brownfields. A brownfield site is real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant. EPA funds eligible applicants through assistance agreements to provide training, research, and technical assistance to facilitate brownfields revitalization.
ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION
This project will be conducted through the collaboration of three departments of Kansas State University: the Center for Hazardous Substance Research (CHSR), the Department of Agronomy, and the Department of Horticulture, Forestry and Recreation Resources (DHFRR). Over the past nine years, CHSR has managed Technical Outreach Services to Native American Communities, Technical Assistance to Brownfields Communities, and Technical Outreach Services to Communities. The Department of Agronomy houses state-of-the-art laboratory facilities to support the research objectives of this project. DHFRR houses the University’s Cooperative Extension programs, which provide a statewide extension educational effort in horticultural food crops, landscape, and home horticulture.
SUSTAINABLE GARDENING INITIATIVES ON BROWNFIELD SITES
Grantee:
Kansas State University
Project Focus:
Advancing the Sustainability of Local Gardening and Farming Initiatives on Brownfields
Project Period:
October 2008 to September 2013
Estimated Annual Funding Amount:
$150,000
Project Description:
Local gardening and marketing initiatives and agricultural activities in urban areas are increasing due to rising energy costs, demand for locally grown produce, and interest in sustainable practices. Many local farms are, or will be, located on land that may be contaminated by previous use. Little is known about the impacts of contaminants on gardeners and food safety from urban and other types of local farming activities on brownfields. Through this project, Kansas State University will advance the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of local gardening and agricultural activities on brownfields in urban, rural, and tribal areas. It will conduct research, training, and technical assistance with several community gardening initiatives in different geographical areas of the country. Research will result in tools that enable laypersons to easily determine the suitability of brownfields for gardening and farming. Educational materials will be developed about the selection of appropriate crops for specific types of brownfields. These materials will be distributed through workshops, web-based seminars, and web pages.
CONTACTS
For further information, including specific grant contacts, additional grant information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site or call 202-566-2777.
Visit the Kansas State University web site
for further information about its brownfields technical assistance activities. For more information about this project, call 785-532-7209.
* The information presented in this fact sheet comes from the grant proposal; EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of this information. The implementation plan for the grant has not yet been finalized. Therefore, activities described in this fact sheet are subject to change.